Roommates
by Sakura's Unicorn
Summary: Naruto's idea of drawing colored stones to get a roommate on Team Seven's mission sounded okay. But when Sakura drew a black stone, Sasuke's world turned upside-down.
1. Chapter 1

Another black stone.

In an effort to become more _Hokage-like_ and avoid arguments, Naruto came up with the idea of drawing colored rocks to choose roommates during missions. Sasuke only needed the smallest peek into his fist to know he'd drawn a black stone—_again_. It seemed his hand was magnetically drawn to the black stone. He pulled it every single time in the year he was back on duty with Team Seven.

"Okay. On three, open your hand."

Sasuke prayed to every god he knew that Sakura would pull a black stone from Naruto's little, orange pouch.

She always drew white.

Given a choice, Sasuke would choose no one for a roommate. Naruto was a cacophony of bodily noises, the worst of which drove Sasuke to drag a futon up to their inn's roof just to get some fresh air. Sai was no better. He recently discovered women and his hormones quickly washed away what little sense of propriety he had. Sakura always said Sai didn't know better, but Sasuke knew he didn't pull that shit when he roomed with Naruto or her.

A room to himself would've been his first choice—until three months ago.

Three months ago, Sasuke gaped as Sakura was washed over a cliff by a _Suiton_ user's _Giant Vortex_. The vision of her slipping over the edge, his Sharingan noting her empty chakra tank, still made him shudder.

His only thought was _Get to her!_ as his legs churned, hoping she'd managed to grab a root or rocky ledge. When he glanced over and saw a rapidly plummeting mop of pink, he jumped off the edge, flattening his arms against his sides in an effort to catch up.

A foot away, Sakura stopped flailing long enough to look up. His stomach swooped as her hands reached out to him. The thought of losing Sakura forever made him stretch until his shoulders burned with effort. When his fingertips finally touched hers, she crawled into his arms.

"Sasuke-kun," she whispered into his ear as she wrapped her arms and legs around him with constricting force. Relief made him close shaking arms around her, his eyes squeezing shut.

"How are we going to stop?"

"_Stop?_" His eyes shot open when he realized he hadn't gotten that far in his planning.

Panic blurred Sasuke's thoughts as he clutched Sakura tighter. A thousand jutsu raced through his head.

_I just need one! _

With a breath-taking _oof_, they landed on the back of an enormous, cawing ink bird that soared up the hillside. It fluttered to a landing before disappearing in a messy splat beside the rest of Team Seven.

"Nice rescue."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at Naruto's sarcastic tone—the years had not diluted their competitive natures one bit.

"Like you would've done better." He sat up and only then realized that Sakura was still clutching him, her head tucked into the crook of his neck. "Sakura?" he asked, concerned that she'd been hurt more then he knew.

Slowly, her grip on his shirt loosened, her legs went slack around his hips, and she moved her face in front of his.

"Sasuke-kun…thank you."

It was strange and unexpected how the feeling came over him. He'd been this close to other women before, both in the line of duty and because of unwanted advances. A lifetime of goal-oriented self-discipline left Sasuke coldly indifferent. But with Sakura's ink-smeared lips an inch away from his and her twig-scratched arms and legs still twined around him, a tidal wave of desire like he'd never felt before flooded his body. For several moments, there was nothing else in the entire world—no mission, no teammates, no cliff. Just _Sakura_.

"Are you two going to kiss now?" asked Sai, crouching next to them with a pencil and sketchpad at the ready.

"Sai!" squeaked Sakura as she jumped up.

With her head turned away, she held a hand out to help Sasuke up. His body was on fire, the rush of desire still surging through him. He was about to use Sakura's outstretched hand to pull her back down to him, but she wiggled her fingers in expectation, snapping him back to reality. Sasuke grabbed her hand in what he hoped was a rough, friendly, _non_-enamored way and got to his feet.

Since then, every minute Sasuke spent away from Sakura, he recalled that moment when her body was close and her mouth was so ripe before him. In his daydreams, he didn't let her pull away. He smashed his lips to hers—his other teammates be damned.

Every minute he spent _with_ Sakura became a series of self-appointed mini-missions where he came up with new and different ways to touch her, to be near her. Any excuse would do. He offered to deliver mission scrolls, brushing her fingers as he handed them over. He waited until she found her seat at Ichiraku's and then dashed for the chair beside her, grazing her knee with his whenever possible. He gave himself bonus points if he made her grin, laugh, or blush.

As excited as these glancing touches and soft smiles made him, they only fanned the flames. He needed to touch her more, with more purpose.

That's when he decided to attack.

During team spars, Sasuke always avoided Sakura. He justified this in his thoughts by remembering her incredible defense. This time, however, when he saw her even chakra humming in the distance, he raced toward her.

"Sasuke!"

Her eyes widened when he broke through the tree line, lightning crackling in his hand, but she was quick to throw down a fist and raise a rock wall in his face. _Chidori_ blasted the wall to pebbles and he darted up the tree she was hiding in. Sakura would never match his speed, though, and Sasuke's long fingers were soon wrapped around her ankle. He tugged her down as she yelped, shuddering when his palm skated along the firm muscle of her thigh.

The glow of chakra scalpels flaring in his face caused Sasuke to rear back. Sakura took the opportunity to spring from the branch, her eyes flashing like fire over her shoulder. Her feet barely touched the ground when the earth exploded beneath them, twisting and obstructing his path. Sasuke smirked—he would not be so easily denied.

He flash-stepped behind her, skimming his hand down her arm as she ran like a frightened rabbit. As fast as Sasuke was, Sakura was twice as smart and she slipped out of his grasp repeatedly. Each kiss of skin only multiplied his desire. He grabbed at her waist, tugged on her skirt, and trailed his fingers down the tempting curve at the small of her back. Her squeaking and squealing emboldened him. His nimble hands finally caught her, snagging her wrists behind her, yanking her against him.

"S-Sasuke—_haa, haa_—I yield," she panted, but he pulled her harder and she thumped against his chest. "I said _I yield_!" she shouted, turning to scowl at him.

The mud splashed across her shirt and face and the dried leaves crushed in disheveled pink caused an uncomfortable tug in his groin. He reached up and raked trembling fingers through her hair.

"O-oh," she stuttered, her eyes closing when his thumb dipped to trace her cheekbone.

"Ha, ha! Sakura lost!"

Naruto's voice boomed across the clearing as he and Sai stepped out from behind a tree.

Sakura jerked her hands out of Sasuke's grip and backed away. "Shut up, Naruto," she growled, rubbing her wrists.

Since then, she stayed close to Naruto or Sai during spars. His time alone with her was cut short.

His longing, however, would not fade. His every thought, waking or sleeping, was filled with Sakura. He dreamed of some time alone with her, so he could make his intentions clear—to let her know that, yes, he wanted desperately to touch every inch of her, but that day soaring over the cliff taught him something else. He couldn't live without her.

As he held another rock in his sweaty fist, Sasuke dredged up hope from the darkest recesses of his heart and pleaded with the fates for a break.

"One, two, THREE!"

Sasuke unfurled his fingers and waited to be clapped on the back by either Sai or Naruto. When silence followed Naruto's countdown, he turned toward the rest of Team Seven and found Naruto and Sai staring slack-jawed into Sakura's open palm. She was biting her lip until she flicked her eyes to his. Her mouth twitched with a tentative smile.

"Looks like we're roommates."

Sasuke was as stunned as his teammates.

A black stone.

In _Sakura's_ hand.

He fought hard to keep a grin from his face. Losing his battle, Sasuke scooped up his pack, growling, "Let's go," as he shuffled up the stairs toward their room.

_Their_ room.

Sasuke wanted to vault up the stairs, but he heard Naruto and Sai whispering and snickering behind him.

_Am I _that_ obvious?_ he wondered. Then embarrassment gripped his stomach.

Did Sakura know how he felt?

The questions snowballed. Was that why she avoided him during spars? Did he make her uncomfortable? Was he too bold?

Sakura dropped back to chat cheerfully with Naruto, without the tiniest shred of distress on her face. She seemed to be completely at ease with the idea of rooming with Sasuke. He couldn't understand why she wasn't a tangle of anxious and excited nerves like he was. Until a chilling thought paralyzed him.

Did Sakura _not love_ him anymore?

When Sasuke stumbled on the stairs, Sai threw him one of his creepy, searching looks.

_I _am_ being obvious! If Sai knows enough to question me, I must be flailing around like a lovesick moron._

Humiliation made Sasuke nauseous. Suddenly, the prospect of sharing a room with Sakura seemed dismal.

After what felt like a million miles, Sakura finally twisted the key in the lock of their door. Naruto and Sai lingered, covertly snorting and pointing. Sasuke studied his shoes until the door swung open and Sakura stepped inside. He glanced at his teammates only to find Naruto hugging himself, making a disgusting kissy face and Sai obscenely thrusting his hips—until Naruto saw what he was doing, put him in a headlock, and dragged him into their room.

Sasuke let out a shuddering sigh and marched into their room like he was heading to his doom. He toed off his shoes. Sakura's boots next to his made his ears burn. Eyes trained to the green tatami mats, Sasuke dropped his pack next to the table and sank into a chair. He could hear Sakura opening and closing drawers, emptying her pack. When he finally dared to lift his eyes to survey their room, he found his worst nightmare and most wicked fantasy had collided—there was only _one _bed.

"I'm going to take a shower. Could you tell Naruto and Sai to come over here for dinner so we can outline the mission plan? I'll be out in a few minutes."

Sasuke nodded stiffly, snapping his eyes down. He had no idea how he'd make it through this mission. Just the thought of her showering only a few feet away made his heart thump uncomfortably fast, never mind the fact that she'd be warm and drowsy, next to him in that bed. He dreamed of pulling her close, whispering all the things he wanted her to—

A cool hand on his cheek made Sasuke jump. His wide eyes connected with Sakura's.

"Sasuke? Are you feeling all right?" Her hand moved from his cheek to his forehead as his eyes darted away—only to land on the clothes in her hand. A tiny pair of red underwear on top made his face blaze with heat.

She knelt down in front of him. "You're burning up. I hope you're not getting sick."

"I'm _not_," he grumbled, leaping out of the chair and heading for the door.

"If you say so…"

Sasuke's stomach churned as he slipped back into his shoes. One side of him was comforted by the idea that Sakura cared whether or not he was okay. His other, more insecure side thought that, as captain, she didn't want a sick shinobi messing up her squad.

He threw open the door to his teammates' room to find Naruto sprawled out on the bed and Sai hailing a local girl from their window.

"What's up, jerk?"

"Sakura says she wants to have dinner together to go over plans. She'll be out of the shower soon."

"Oh, will she now?" Naruto said, wiggling his eyebrows. "That means she's over there right now…_naked_…doesn't it?"

Sasuke tried to appear bored while his heart raced. He forced a sigh and folded his arms. "Just make sure you and the other moron are there in fifteen minutes." He added _idiot_ for good measure before he slammed the door shut behind him.

Standing in the empty hall, he knew he couldn't go back into their room…not with Sakura possibly…maybe…

Sasuke shook his head. _Best not to think about it._

He ducked down to the main desk and ordered dinner, lingering over the menu and haunting the lobby for as long as possible. He had to make sure there was no chance he'd walk in on Sakura in her ridiculously small, red underwear.

Taking a deep breath to steel himself, Sasuke put his hand on the knob—and lurched forward when the door was pulled open from the other side. Before he could stop, he was thrown onto Sakura. His arm looped around her waist for balance, his face pressed into her shirt.

"Sasuke?"

The voice was much deeper than he expected from Sakura. He didn't have time to contemplate that thought as heat seared his body—he just realized what was gently pillowing his face. Sasuke jerked upright, still clutching her hips.

Raising himself to eye level, he was caught off-guard by her bright smile.

_She's…happy?_

Clutching Sakura a little tighter, Sasuke pulled her in closer. His eyes flicked from her softly smiling lips to the downturned fan of her night-black lashes.

"Uh, Sasuke? I think it's safe to let go of Sakura-chan now."

That same deep voice finally registered in Sasuke's love-addled brain—_Naruto_!

He whipped around to see his two other teammates turning a brilliant scarlet with suppressed laughter. Immediately releasing her, Sasuke side-stepped Sakura and stalked into their room. When their dinner arrived at that exact moment, Naruto and Sai were distracted and Sasuke thanked the gods for small favors.

_I need to get it together, _he thought_._ Slipping into the bathroom to throw some cold water on his face, he vowed to stay as far from Sakura as possible.

When he came back into the main room, Sasuke was pleased to see that dinner was laid out and Sai had taken the chair next to Sakura and Naruto the one directly across. He'd be on the completely opposite side of the table—incidental contact would be impossible.

Sasuke felt his muscles relax. _I can do this._

_Knock, knock, knock._

The only person still standing was Sasuke and, pressured by the silent command of his teammates' staring eyes, he answered the door with an annoyed grunt.

"_HEY! Sai! Get your stinking hands off the ramen. I called it!"_

In the hall stood a deeply bowing hotel employee.

"_If I recall the rule you told me, I would need to see your name written on the food for possession to be legal. And I don't. Therefore…"_

"_Therefore, you better shut up and hand over the ramen, asshole!"_

Extending a tea tray, the steward said, "So sorry. This was forgotten." The clatter of porcelain rang from the room behind him as Sasuke took hold of the tray, nodding and closing the door.

"_You better shut up before I club the both of you!"_

When Sasuke turned back to the table, he nearly dropped the tea. After Sakura threatened his moronic teammates, they'd scurried to the opposite side of the table—leaving only the chair right next to Sakura available. The teapot began to tremble.

_I am a shinobi. I endure. I am a shinobi. I endure_, Sasuke chanted in his head. He set the tray down near Sai and scooted his chair closer to the opposite end of the table. He couldn't risk their arms brushing or knees touching.

Sasuke concentrated on his meal and nodded along as they discussed the plan of attack for their mission. When Sakura spread out the map on the table, her fingertips grazed the back of his hand and he could feel his face glowing red. A snort from Sai had him scooting his chair further away. Braving a look at Sakura, he found her frowning at the map.

_I _do_ make her uncomfortable. That means she…doesn't..._ Sasuke couldn't bring himself to finish that thought.

His eyes darted up as Naruto tried to suggest breaking off into pairs for scouting. "Come on, Sakura-chan. I know you're captain, but this makes sense. Me and Sai could go one way," he jerked a thumb at his teammate, "and you and Sasuke could go another. We'd cover a lot more ground and—"

"No." Her voice was stern as she squinted her eyes dangerously at Naruto. "We have no idea how many enemies we're dealing with or their threat level. The team stays together."

It felt like something curled up inside Sasuke at Sakura's cold tone. He knew she was putting distance between them. Tentatively, he glanced at her as she rolled up the map and wondered what _would_ happen if they scouted in pairs. His mind filled with a dark green forest dappled in sunlight, the scent of moss and pine, the sound of their ragged breathing as he pressed her against a woody trunk, the feeling of her soft skin as he kissed his way up her neck.

A poisonous thought intruded and Sasuke's eyes squeezed shut tightly. _If the idiot suggested she pair with Sai, would she have said yes?_ The idea of anyone else holding Sakura blackened his mood.

"_Sasuke!"_

Ripped from his thoughts, he found himself staring into Sakura's concerned eyes. When they flicked to his hand, Sasuke looked at his closed fist and saw his chopsticks snapped in two. At the sound of a stifled grunt, his head jerked up to his teammates. Sakura frowned again, Naruto bit his lip to hold back a guffaw, and Sai wore a fake smile that Sasuke wanted to punch right off his face.

"I…need a shower," he said, throwing down his broken chopsticks and heading for the bathroom, not daring to look back.

He grimaced at his obviousness. _Sakura has to know how I feel now._ His anger melted into humiliation. _I make her uneasy._ Heavyhearted, Sasuke stayed in the shower until his fingers wrinkled and the water ran cold. He calculated jutsu chakra ratios just to stay calm and focused on something other than the fact that he'd be lying next to Sakura all night.

When he finally left the bath, their room was tinted blue with moonlight. The glow cast deep shadows over Sakura's curled shape on the far side of their bed. He listened to her even breathing as he finished toweling his hair dry. Convinced that she was deeply asleep, he fished clothes from his pack. Sasuke glanced at her one more time before dropping his towel and stepping into pants.

Gently, gently, Sasuke glided beneath the covers and released a held breath. He successfully made it into bed without waking her. His muscles relaxed as he stared at the back of her head against the pillow, the strap of her nightgown slipping down her shoulder, the dip of the sheet at her waist.

_Maybe this won't be so bad after all._

Quickly flipping over to prop herself up on her elbow, Sakura hovered above him. "Sasuke, what's wrong? I know something's bothering you. Please tell me."

He felt pinned to the mattress under her strong gaze. The bare skin of her arm pressed against his made blood rush to inconvenient places. All he could do was stare at her, his breath coming in rapid pants. He needed to _do_ something, _say_ something. His mind was a jumbled mess as she shifted, rubbing her soft skin against his. All he wanted to do was roll her over, push her nightgown up, and bury his face in her—

"Sasuke-kun?"

The whisper of that tender suffix jarred him from his wicked thoughts.

_Sakura…so fragile. What am I thinking?_

Berating himself for his behavior, Sasuke turned away from her, mumbling, "Nothing. I'm fine. Go to sleep."

* * *

**a/n:** So, WordPress is a lot more hard to manage than you would think! Plus, it doesn't help that I'm too lazy to keep things orderly. Hee, hee. Anyhoo, I'm publishing this story here, despite it being completed on my WP site.

A waterfall of bacon for Unicorn Paige for editing this and for always setting me straight. Thanks, Paige!


	2. Chapter 2

Willing every step back to their room, Sasuke barely had the energy to sink into the chair opposite Sakura. Their mission today had been long, hot, and demanding. The muscles in his legs shook with exhaustion, his entire body was coated in a fine layer of dirt, and his clothes looked like he'd lost a fight with Lady Shijimi's cat.

Sakura groaned as she kneaded the muscles in her neck, looking as worn out as he felt. She was filthy, skirt skewed on her hips, grass stains ground into her clothes and knees, and three hairline scratches were bleeding on her cheek. She looked sexy.

_No_, Sasuke thought, clenching his jaw. _She looks like a teammate. Like a friend. That's all._

He vowed to put aside his longing for her. The last thing he wanted to do was make Sakura feel uncomfortable. But as his eyes slowly drank her in, his muscles tightening with the need to pounce, he understood that it would not be a simple task.

Pushing herself upright in the chair, Sakura sighed and unbuttoned a glove. A spring in Sasuke's stomach coiled. He found himself leaning forward, watching.

She brought a finger to her mouth and parted her lips. Sakura's eyes slid shut, her lashes resting innocently against her cheek, in contrast to the indecent invitation of her open mouth. Catching a piece of her glove between her teeth, she pulled. Sasuke's breath caught in his throat.

Sakura moved slowly from one finger to the next, resting the dark brown leather against her full lower lip before she bit and pulled. He touched his tongue to his own lips, imagining how warm and soft her mouth would feel against his own, against his tongue, against his…

Sasuke's head swam, but he couldn't tear his eyes away. Gradually, she shimmied her glove up, peeling it away to reveal more and more of the tantalizing flesh underneath.

His knuckles turned white as he gripped the arms of the chair.

A shift of leather then…her wrist.

He swallowed.

Another shift exposed her hand.

He stopped breathing.

Her palm bared itself to his view.

The ache in his pants became excruciating.

Finally, her fingers slid out alluringly to flaunt themselves—perfectly pale in their exposure. He longed to run his tongue along each one, plunge them into his mouth, taste their nakedness.

As Sakura pushed a leather-clad finger from the opposite hand between her lips she flicked her eyes up to lock with his. His body thrummed with electricity.

"Shashkay," she lisped against her finger before slipping the other glove off in one slinky movement. "I'm going to soak in the onsen for a while, okay?"

He swallowed and nodded, painfully aware that he was staring at her discarded gloves without blinking.

* * *

Sasuke lurched awake. _When did I fall asleep?_ he wondered. The room was filled with sunset's glow a moment ago, he was sure, and now it was dim. He recalled resting his head on the back of the chair, listening to the calming _shush_ of the water in Sakura's shower.

_Must've nodded off, _he thought as his head sank back down. _Understandable._

The day had been a grueling hunt and fight. Sakura wasn't kidding when she said their enemy was many and dangerous.

Over breakfast, Naruto finally convinced Sakura to work in pairs. He justified splitting up Sai and Sasuke by reasoning that they each had a way to fly.

"I'm telling you it makes sense, Sakura-chan." He emphasized his point by jabbing his chopsticks in her direction. "We'll be more effective and less visible from the air. And if anything happens, we'll send you an ink bird before we make a move. Right, Sai?"

Sai nodded emphatically. No one asked Sasuke what he thought. Although, he wasn't sure he could come up with a counter to Naruto's argument. He certainly wasn't going to tell them the truth—that he'd rather not be around Sakura. For her sake.

After a half a day of scanning the ground from the back of his hawk summons, they found one of their suspects racing toward the landscape's largest mountain.

"That must be where they're storing the stolen scrolls," Sakura said, gesturing with her chin.

Sasuke was lost in her profile as they perched on a sturdy branch. She was using field glasses to track the scroll thief as he slipped into a crack in the mountainside. Her pastel brows were drawn in concentration and the fine line of her jaw was clenched in anger. His lips turned up—Sakura was such an entrancing fusion of strength and delicacy. When she suddenly turned toward him, her eyes stunningly bright in the sunless recesses of the tree, he was startled.

"Sasuke? Can you see how many there are?"

He nodded to gather himself. When he lit his Sharingan, Sasuke saw hundreds of flickering chakra colors milling around a cavern hidden inside the mountain. He formed a plan to take them all down as he explained the situation to Sakura. Reaching for his katana, he was stopped by a hand over his.

"No. Rushing in will get us unnecessarily hurt. Send a hawk to Naruto and Sai. Tell them to get here quickly. We'll handle this _as a team_." She curled her fingers tighter around Kusanagi and jerked it sharply back into its sheath. "You don't have to do _everything_ yourself, Sasuke."

Biting his thumb for a _Kuchiyose, _he looked at her out of the corner of his eye. Was that suggestive tilt to Sakura's smile only in his imagination?

She'd been right—they _did_ need all hands on deck. The skill level of the shinobi hidden in that mountain was unexpected, even if their numbers were. Additionally, they needed to keep the fighting away from the scrolls. They were valuable, some irreplaceable. A stray _Katon_ would mean a failed mission.

In the end, they'd beaten the enemy and secured the scrolls, but not before one of the thieves sent out a flock of carrier hawks with coded messages. Sai released his own squadron of ink birds to take out most of them and retrieve a message.

After deciphering the code, Sakura warned them that reinforcements would arrive soon and they'd need to get ready. They won this battle, but Team Seven knew their war had just begun as they trudged, exhausted, to their respective rooms back at the inn.

_Then_, Sasuke thought, _I must've dozed while Sakura showered_. Lifting his head, he was struck by the quiet. _Where is she?_

He sat up in the dimness, turning toward the bed. She wasn't there. _I couldn't have slept that long_, he reasoned. _Where could she be?_

Sleep fog dissipated when worry grew in his gut. He ran his hands across the bed sheets to assure himself that she really wasn't there. He checked the bathroom. The clouded mirror confirmed that he napped for only a short time—Sakura hadn't been out of the shower long.

_But where could she be?_

A slim bar of silver cut across the darkened room. _Moonlight?_

He focused on the beam, following it across the room to its origin. The shoji screen separating their room from the hot spring outside was opened a crack, enough to clearly see the waxing moon's bright glow. Like a moth to the flame, he crept soundlessly closer to the opening.

Pressing his eye to the gap, Sasuke drew in breath sharply. Less than three feet away, the back of Sakura's head bobbed over the lip of the pool. He sank to his knees, losing himself in the pale pink of loose strands and the darker rose of wet locks that clung to her neck.

With a splash, Sakura sat up taller, gathering her hair in her hands and twisting it high on her head. Sasuke leaned closer as her dripping hand slid up her neck, sweeping errant pieces into a tight bun. Her wet shoulders gleaming, she stretched, grabbing two senbon from her holster. He pressed his forehead against the wooden screen as she jammed the two needles into the bun, expertly pinning up her hair. Sakura's arms rested on the edge of the onsen, her head lolling. She hummed, completely relaxed.

He was suddenly taken aback at how loud he was breathing. He could plainly hear his rapid breath huffing against the shoji. Sasuke swallowed, trying to calm himself, but the moonlight glinted off the spikes lacing her hair and the thought occurred to him that they might be poisoned. He had to press his lips together tightly to seal in a groan.

He needed to get away—_now_. Sasuke rolled onto his heels and stalked to the shower. Dropping his clothes in a heap on the floor, he stepped in, a blast of cold making him shiver before the water heated up. He stuck his head under and chastised himself for spying on Sakura.

_Who am I, _Jiraiya_? Is _this_ what I've been reduced to? _

Sasuke pulled a hand down his face, thinking that keeping his feelings for Sakura a secret was stupid.

_I should march out to the onsen right now and tell her. _

He was sure Sakura would be shocked at his bold behavior, but he would show her that he wanted more than just her bare body against his. He rubbed soapy hands across his skin as he pictured how he'd tell her.

He would take Sakura's dropped chin in his palm, sliding his other hand around the pale column of her neck, deftly avoiding her sensuously deadly hairpins. Placing his lips against her ear, Sasuke would whisper all the things about her that made his heart beat faster. Gently, he would kiss her soft lips and she would understand. Not only would she understand, she would reciprocate and kiss him back. Soon, they'd grow dizzy from the heat of the pool and the quickening of their breath. Sasuke would lay her on the cool stones of the deck, pressing his hips between her knees, lowering his mouth to hers. Sakura would moan and arch into him. "Oh, Sasuke…Sasuke…"

"Sasuke?"

Surprised by the subject of his fantasy, Sasuke inhaled sharply, sucking in a lungful of shower water in the process. Unable to answer because of a hacking cough, he could only listen as she called again.

"Sasuke? You okay in there?"

When his answer was more coughing, he heard the creak of the door opening.

"Do you need any—"

"I'm fine!" he roared, mortified.

"Oh. Okay. Well…I just wanted to tell you that the onsen's free if you want to use it."

Sasuke heard the hurt in Sakura's voice and thudded his forehead against the wall.

_When will I get over this?_ he wondered.

_Never_ was the answer that immediately leaped into his head.

_Then you need to find the nerve to tell Sakura how you feel, idiot._

He shuddered as his mind came back to the question that crippled him.

_Will she love me back?_

* * *

_Hazy. Can't see. Gray. _

_No. Pink. It's _always_ pink._

Sasuke sucked in a breath to chuckle, but his chest spasmed with wet coughs that left him weak-kneed.

The grip around his waist tightened. _She's strong. _ He was shifted, so much of his weight leaning against Sakura.

"Come on, Sasuke-kun. Just a little further." She squeezed his hand.

_Sasuke-kun. I miss hearing that._ Sasuke wanted to smile, but he couldn't make his muscles work that way. He started to ask her to say it again, but sharp pain exploded in his shoulder. The pink faded, tunneling to white as his eyes rolled in his head.

A bracing slap on his cheek brought the pink back into a vague kind of focus.

"We're here. We're at our room. Sasuke-kun, can you hear me? I need to open the door, okay? Put your arms around my neck."

_I thought you'd never ask. _Something warm gurgled in the back of his throat.

_I'm finally holding her. _Her neck was right under his mouth and Sasuke wished he could press his lips against it. He wanted to hum with desire, but his chest rattled. Breathing suddenly became a lot harder to do.

_What is she doing?_ She slipped from his arms and he found himself sitting on the floor of their room. _I must be dead. Oh, she's on her knees. _A laugh struggled to break free, but he felt like he was drowning. _Yes, Sakura on her knees in front of me? I must be dead and this is the blissful afterlife._

Welcoming the end, Sasuke allowed the billowing gray to swallow him up. He fell back into a cushioning cloud, frowning when he heard a scream.

_Who's waking me?_ he thought and tried to scowl.

"_SASUKE-KUN!"_

He smiled. _Pink again._

* * *

Sasuke felt swimmy, disconnected, as he cracked open his eyes. Light lanced through his head and he quickly slid his heavy lids shut.

He tried to swallow and found he had no saliva. His mouth was dry and pasty. A painful, icy cold paralyzed his legs and arms, making him shiver. Sweat trickled down his face from beneath his hair—the heat was unbearable. He felt a cool wetness slide across the back of his neck.

"Sasuke-kun?"

His name echoed in his head. The voice sounded so far away.

_Sakura!_

Sasuke latched onto the one coherent thought that sliced through his unsteady state. She was near. He needed to find her. Suddenly, the wind was whipping his hair forcibly away from his face as he plunged over the side of a cliff.

_Find her!_

Terror dilated her eyes as she looked up. Strangely, instead of screaming, she whispered, "I'm glad you're asleep, Sasuke-kun, because I need to say something."

His hands shot out to her. The gesture made his stomach flip as he realized he was offering her more than help. His stomach twisted for the second it took Sakura to accept and lunge toward him.

"You can't fool me, Sasuke." His head snapped to the right to see Naruto falling beside him, arms crossed, completely at ease.

"Seriously. I know you're faking. You want Sakura fussing over you, sponging you down. You like that, don't you, you perv? Just know that _I_ know you're faking for attention. Jeez, Sasuke…that's pathetic. You know that Sakura—"

_Sakura._

Sasuke looked down again to see her arms stretching out toward him.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm sure you don't want to hear it, but…" She sniffed and wiped at her eyes before extending her hands to him again. He strained to reach her, grunting with effort.

The screech of a hawk drew his attention to his left. A giant ink bird with lifeless, black eyes soared to his side. Sasuke watched his own rapidly descending reflection in the unblinking void. The eyes squinted and the bird's beak curved into a fake smile. "Naruto says you're pretending to be unwell to gain sexual favors from Sakura."

_Sakura!_

"I never thought it'd still hurt this much."

Her tears were floating up, splashing his face. Sasuke tried to push himself closer. Just as the tips of their fingers touched, Sakura sighed and whispered, "I only want you to be happy, Sasuke-kun." She slipped from his grasp and fell rapidly, disappearing into the mist below.

"SAKURA!"

His sweat-slicked chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath. He was bolt upright, head flicking left and right as he gripped the sheets in his fists.

"Sasuke-kun, it's okay. I'm here."

Her skin was pale and her eyes were bruised from lack of sleep, but it was _Sakura_. She dropped a wet rag to the floor as she eased him back to the mattress. The fear in Sasuke was too real, too close. He snatched her around the waist, crushing her in an embrace. Her arms around his neck and the smell of her skin were so familiar that relief made him weak.

"You're okay," he breathed as he sank back to the pillow with Sakura still clenched against his body.

"It's you I was worried about." Her voice sounded tight and watery as she mumbled against him. "I'm so sorry, Sasuke-kun. I had no idea that sword was poisoned. I thought you were just chakra depleted. If I hadn't waited so long to treat the poison…" She trailed off and seemed to go limp with remorse in his arms.

Sasuke winced in remembrance. Enemy reinforcements arrived quicker than Team Seven had estimated. What felt like days of battle ended when the leader of the enemy squadron attacked. He could still hear the man's shrill cry as his poisoned blade sank into Sasuke's shoulder. Cold steel cut deep, but the pain flared immediately into a burn that spread down his arm and through his chest in seconds. Before his vision dimmed, Sasuke was yanked up to the leader's face by his collar.

"_This_ is the might of Konoha?" he sneered. Sasuke felt the sword at his throat. "What a sad end for the last of the Uchiha."

Through the haze, Sasuke saw a green glow and knew it was Sakura's chakra scalpels. When blood splashed on his cheek, he smiled. They'd won.

As the adrenaline of memory faded, another ripple of shock rolled over him. Sasuke was still holding Sakura. He'd been holding her for close to a full minute and she hadn't frowned, run away, or punched him amiably in the arm like she'd done before when he tried to get close. Sakura held him, too—loosely, but her arms were around his neck, her breath gently huffing behind his ear. He immersed himself in the contentment of her body against his as he shifted his hands across her back, sliding one tighter around her waist, the other wrapping around her shoulders.

"Sakura," he sighed.

The pleasant hum in Sasuke's chest changed to a stronger, more rhythmic thumping when her shirt lifted slightly, his fingertips touching the warm skin of her lower back. Tentatively, he grazed her exposed flesh with more of his hand, alert for any negative reaction on her part. When Sakura continued to lie across him, arms still around him, he took it as silent permission and slid tingling fingers up the back of her shirt.

Finally being allowed to touch her bare skin gave Sasuke courage. His worst fear had gone unrealized. She wasn't refusing him, wasn't pushing him away. Now was the time to say everything that he'd locked inside, no matter how difficult that might be.

"S-Sakura," Sasuke began, swallowing down a nervous quiver. "I…"

_Why can't I just say it? I want to. I want to say…_ He grimaced in frustration. _I want to say _what_? _

Holding her this tightly, Sasuke heard the phantom sound of wind whistling in his ears while pink hair lashed his face. Losing her was not an option. He tried again to find the words that would make clear exactly what was in his heart.

"I feel…I…"

His face twisted into a scowl. _Why is this so difficult?_

He turned his head, moving his mouth closer to her ear. When his lips brushed her skin, Sasuke realized something—he didn't need words.

In one smooth movement, he rolled Sakura to her back, propping himself up on his elbow, poised above her face.

"Sakura."

Her eyes were closed, her lips gently parted. She looked so serene, waiting for him. Sasuke smirked as he moved closer.

"Mmm…Sas'ke?" Sakura muttered as she shifted beneath him.

Eyes narrowing, Sasuke looked closer at her. Sakura's arm slipped from his shoulder, flopping limply against the mattress. Her eyes darted back and forth beneath her closed lids.

_She's asleep?_ G_reat_, he thought as his forehead dropped to her shoulder in bitter disappointment. _She didn't push me away because she's out cold. _

Doubt came back to haunt him. He still didn't have a clue how she felt. Would he wake tomorrow and need to touch her by accident, look at her covertly? With a jolt, Sasuke realized that _right now_, he could gaze at Sakura uninhibited. There was no need to sneak glances.

Everywhere he ran his eyes, his fingers followed after—over her cheeks, through her hair, down her neck. Carried on a tide of longing, Sasuke slid across the pillow closer to her. After a moment's hovering hesitation, he lightly brushed his mouth along her jaw line. Pushed forward by a powerful need, he pressed his lips against her cheek.

He'd done it. He'd kissed Sakura.

With a powerful swelling in his chest, Sasuke moved his mouth to float above hers. He was less than an inch away from everything he ever wanted when his eyes screwed shut. _I need to stop. I will not _steal_ this kiss,_ he resolved.

Sasuke slid off the bed, pulling Sakura on top of his pillow. He stumbled to the table where he found food. His stomach growled ferociously and, for the first time, he wondered how long he'd been out. He gorged himself on onigiri and zarusoba before shuffling to the shower. The heat relaxed his aching muscles, but drained away his energy. Sasuke knew he hadn't been active for at least a few days. His body felt the strain.

_No wonder why Sakura was so tired_, he thought. _She's been taking care of me._

He dressed quickly and dragged himself, exhausted, back to bed. Sasuke felt like he'd dropped into a cloud as weak, shaky hands pulled up the covers. Ready to slip back into unconsciousness, he was startled awake when Sakura rolled over and threw an arm across his chest.

"Sas'kn," she murmured sleepily in his ear.

He reached across his body and pulled Sakura closer. When she snuggled against him, he wrapped both arms around her, relaxing into a restful sleep.

_Maybe Sakura doesn't need words either._

* * *

**a/n: ** Yet another example of Unicorn Paige's magnificent editing work. Bacon-wrapped Sasuke for you!

Also, thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter one. It really is so nice to be back on FFN and feel the love!


	3. Chapter 3

Sasuke swam toward consciousness slowly, rising through levels of awareness at a glacial pace.

Morning birdsong, the gurgling water in the onsen, and the chime of garden bells stirred him from his sleep. The sounds filled him with a profound sense of serenity and his lips lifted. A thrill rippled in his chest when he heard a familiar, breathy chuckle.

His hair tickled as it brushed against his cheeks and forehead. The faintest contact glanced across his face—ginger caresses that soon became firmer, bolder. Hands cupped his cheeks, tilting his face to feel the summery kiss of the sun.

Light glowed red on the back of his eyelids and Sasuke felt the urge to open them, to see the face he sensed lingering above his own. They felt sealed shut, however, weighing thousands of pounds each. With a heroic effort, Sasuke broke the spell that nailed his eyes closed. He blinked, adjusting to the dazzling sunlight.

_Nothing. Did I imagine it all? Am I still dreaming? _

"Sakura?"

"Oh! You're awake."

Sasuke inclined his head. She set down her book and rose from a chair on the opposite side of the room.

_She couldn't have gotten there in the few seconds it took to open my eyes, could she?_

Pressing her glowing hands to his shoulder and chest, Sakura nodded absently and Sasuke took it as a sign that the poisoned wound he'd sustained was healing.

"Feeling better?" she asked as her fingers slid across his temple to tuck unruly hair behind his ear. Sasuke barely suppressed a shiver when her hand lingered, tracing the line of his jaw to his chin. She smiled brightly. All he could manage was a mute nod in return.

The movement of his head in her hand seemed to abruptly change Sakura's mood. "You must be hungry," she said, standing crisply. With stiff, purposeful strides, she retrieved the menu from the table. "I thought maybe you'd want something hot to eat today, so I waited for you. Do you want to look at this?" Sakura held out the menu for less than a second before snatching it back. "Oh! You probably want to take a shower first, right? Sorry. Go ahead. I'll wait." She scurried back to the chair and buried her nose in her book.

Sasuke sat up and stared. _What did I do to drive her away?_ He frowned, wondering if he'd ever be able to push down his feelings far enough to make Sakura comfortable. He took a deep breath. Maybe honesty was the best option. He would tell her how he felt, say he knew she didn't feel the same, and explain how he would work hard at making her feel at ease around him.

Just the idea of beginning that conversation made him nauseous.

His eyes returned to Sakura, hiding behind her book. She was his friend first—he smiled at the thought. That had to be enough for now. As he watched, the book Sakura held in front of her face began to slowly drift down. When it finally sank low enough to expose her eyes, Sasuke watched them fly open, her face redden, and the book lurch back up to cover her.

Shock ran down to his toes. Did she just…_blush_? Hope clutched his heart, but he tempered it immediately. He was reading too much into her actions. Sasuke resolved to watch her more carefully. After all, he would have all day alone with Sakura to figure this out.

* * *

Blinking at the darkened ceiling, Sasuke shifted yet again. He closed his eyes and willed himself to sleep. Nothing. He couldn't stop thinking…

He'd spent all day watching Sakura and she hadn't frowned at all. In fact, she'd smiled at him more in this one day than she had during the entire mission.

_Slow down, moron. Lack of frowning is not a sign that she cares_. But what started as a small buzz in his chest, increased to a tingling as the day went on.

The sound of his hair brushing against the pillowcase seemed abnormally loud as he turned his head in her direction. Sakura's face, relaxed in sleep, was beautiful. His fingertips felt drawn to her cheekbones by an irresistible force, but he held them in check by fisting them tightly. Sasuke's eyes were locked on his goal—the pout of her full mouth. They occasionally flicked to her eyes which were closed in slumber each time he checked.

Until now.

"Hey, you're up, too? I can't seem to fall asleep."

Panicked that he'd been caught looking, Sasuke could barely grunt in response.

"I guess we both slept way too much the other day, huh?" She flipped onto her back. "I hate when I get like this. Sometimes, when I've been working late, my body clock gets all out of whack and I end up staring out my bedroom window for hours."

As Sasuke made a mental note to wander by Sakura's bedroom window more often, he smirked at her tendency to chatter. Although her babbling was comforting—this was a side of Sakura he'd known for years—it didn't stop him from dreaming of all the wicked ways he would keep her quiet. She turned again and her shoulder pressed firmly against his. Sasuke stayed very still, hoping she wouldn't move away.

"Sometimes I don't know how to shut my brain off, you know? It just keeps going and going. Like now…I keep wondering, are we done with this mission? Did we get all the scrolls? Are more reinforcements coming? Are Naruto and Sai okay on their own out there?"

Sasuke snorted. "Those two idiots are _never_ okay on their own." Sakura chuckled gleefully and his chest swelled—he'd made her laugh. "Makes me wonder how they're managing to room without one of us watching their stupid backs."

She groaned. "Rooming with _those two _is such a nightmare. Naruto's fine when he's awake, but when he's asleep? _Ugh_. I need to ask Tsunade to have a talk with him about his diet."

Now it was Sasuke's turn to chuckle. "I grab a futon and head for the roof," he said as he shifted an inch closer.

"I should've thought of the roof! I usually hide in the bathroom. So smart, Sasuke-kun." He glowed at her compliment. "But Sai is worse," she said as a scowl twisted her face and she folded her arms across her chest.

"Why?"

"Because he…he just is."

Alarm bells went off in Sasuke's head. He knew how Sai's hormones ran amok. _If that moron did something to Sakura…_ He leaned up on his elbow. "What'd he do?"

"He…doesn't knock."

They all knew Sai was rude. This wasn't news. The fact that he didn't knock shouldn't make Sakura so angry…unless…

"He didn't _see you, _did he?" Sasuke barely managed to choke out. The tightening of her arms around her chest and the indignant curl of her lip told him that Sai had seen her—he swallowed hard—_naked_.

"Jerk," she grumbled. "Says now he understands why…" She glanced quickly at Sasuke, flushed, and looked away.

"Why what?"

She was silent for almost half a minute before sighing. "He says I'm small."

_So what?_ was his first thought. _Sakura's shorter than me. And Naruto. _And_ Sai. But…she's a girl. Most women don't grow this tall. Why should she care?_ He didn't get it.

"Small?"

Fiery eyes met his, but they immediately softened at his confusion. "Small _here_," she said as she dropped her eyes pointedly to her folded arms.

Sasuke's eyes followed hers to her tightly pressed cleavage. His face felt like he'd been scorched by a _Katon_ and his eyes snapped back to Sakura's. She turned her face away from his, her cheeks rosy as she bit her lip.

"Anyway, he's—"

"An idiot." Sasuke found his voice when he realized Sai had hurt her feelings. "An idiot who needs a lesson in manners."

_As soon as I get my full strength back, I'll crush that moron with my bare hands, have Sakura heal him, and then I'll crush him again. Afterward, I'll make him relive it for a few days with _Tsukuyomi_. _He smirked, thinking how much he'd enjoy that.

Sakura reddened further, but smiled and uncrossed her arms. Sasuke sank back to his pillow, his hand tucked comfortably behind his head. As their conversation lulled, his eyelids began to sink.

"Night, Sasuke."

"Night."

The gentle bubble and splash of the onsen and the warmth of Sakura near him was hypnotic. Several minutes of silence passed as he sank deeper into sleep.

"Sasuke-kun." A whisper so faint he could barely hear it. "You're a _much_ better roommate."

* * *

Sasuke thought that strength would never come back to his body. He tried without success to hold back another jaw-cracking yawn. Rubbing at his eyes, he glanced at Sakura curled up on the couch. _Blue Mushrooms and Solar Grass_ was embossed in gold across the cover of the book she was glued to.

"Why don't you take a nap?"

Another yawn overpowered him as he shook his head. "I'm tired of sleeping."

Sakura laid the book across her lap as she looked at him. "I told you that poison had a sedative component. It'll pass in another day or two, but in the meantime, you're going to be tired. Take a nap."

"It's too late for a nap," he said, running his hands over his face to fight the fatigue.

Shaking her head, Sakura grinned and went back to her book.

Sasuke's eyes slipped in and out of focus as he stared at her. The depression he'd felt before melted with every smile Sakura sent his way. He wasn't exactly sure if she wanted him like she used to, but at least he was sure she was happy to be around him. A lazy smile curled his lips as he thought, _I can work with that. _

As he stared, Sakura's tongue slipped between her lips, wetting a finger to turn a page. Sasuke shuddered with desire, dreaming of how that tongue would flick and swirl across his skin.

_Do it again, _he thought, hoping to _will_ her into action.

_Do it again._

"Do it again."

"Do _what_ again?"

Reality slapped him hard and Sasuke's eyes went wide. _I said that out loud?_

"Nothing. I don't know. I'm tired."

She looked at him skeptically, so he threw his arms above his head, faking a yawn. Sasuke winced as a sharp pain jabbed his shoulder.

"What's wrong?" she asked, tucking a marker in her book, her face scrunching in concern.

Sasuke squeezed his bicep. "My muscles ache. Is that from the poison?"

Sakura held her hand over his shoulder. He could feel the radiating warmth of her healing jutsu through the curve of muscle.

"Nope. This is from inactivity. Your body's not used to being inactive."

He grunted as she kneaded the back of his neck.

"If you're that sore, you should try the onsen."

Her fingers trailed down his back, rubbing circles between his shoulder blades. Sasuke's spine curved into her touch, aroused. She was so close. He turned his head slightly, his eyes meeting hers as goosebumps fanned out across his back. Was she equally electrified? He needed to find out.

"Sakura." His voice was heavy with yearning.

She stopped immediately, retreating to the couch. Sakura snatched her book from the table and buried her face.

"You should go. T-to the onsen. It really helps."

Sasuke wanted to see her face, wanted to know what she was feeling. Was she feeling the same excitement he was? But she'd propped _Blue Mushrooms and Solar Grass_ up so high, he could barely see her hair poking over the top.

"Okay. I will," he said with a sigh as he shuffled off to shower first.

* * *

A small towel wrapped around his hips, Sasuke entered the onsen area from a door off the bathroom. With his Sharingan, he made sure he was completely alone, except for Sakura's tightly-compacted energy swirling behind the main shoji.

_Still reading_. His bare feet padded across the cool, stone floor.

The summer night air buzzed with the peaceful chirrup of crickets. Sasuke set a yukata near the edge of the pool and looked out at the horizon. Far beyond the tree line, he saw a flash and several seconds later, heard the rumble of distant thunder.

_It's going to rain tonight,_ he thought absently as he dropped his towel. The glow of fireflies, made hazy by rising spirals of steam, dotted the dark sky as he stepped in.

Sighing as he slid into the steaming water, Sasuke had to admit that Sakura was right—the heat seeped profoundly into his body, relaxing away the pain. He felt enveloped, cocooned in caressing waves. Eyes drooping, he dipped his mouth beneath the surface and hummed in relief, his breath bubbling the water.

Once warmed, he stretched out his leg experimentally. The extension loosened the bothersome kink in his calf. Lifting a foot to the opposite knee, Sasuke kneaded his way up each leg. The heat and the manipulation combined to unwind the knots in his body. The boom of far off thunder rolled again as he sat up taller and slowly twisted his torso from side to side. His body cooled, so he sank back under the water, dunking his whole head beneath the surface, luxuriating in the healing heat. Releasing his held breath, he popped up from under the water.

Lightning flashed as thunder cracked. The gentle thrum of rain right on its heels told Sasuke that it was time to get out. Pressing the heels of his hands to the lip of the pool behind him, he hoisted himself up to sit on the edge.

_One last stretch_, he thought as he clasped his hands, his back bowing as he extended his arms far above his head. Sasuke groaned long and low as the misty hiss of warm rain poured down over his bare body.

At the height of his stretch, the hairs on the back of Sasuke's neck prickled. _Danger?_ His senses went on high alert, but he heard nothing. The only sounds he could detect above the drone of the summer storm were the hooting of an owl and the wind ruffling the leaves.

As he whipped his head around, raining droplets from his hair, Sasuke heard what sounded like a muffled gasp. Lighting his Sharingan, he saw no one nearby, save for Sakura in the room behind him. He blinked his eyes to black and reached for his yukata.

_The poison must be scrambling my senses. _

When Sasuke stopped in front of the door to properly fasten his robe, he noticed that the shoji was open a crack. He flushed, thinking of when he'd pressed his eye to this very door to watch Sakura bathe. Shaking his head, he slid aside the shoji and stepped inside. Glancing quickly at Sakura absorbed in her reading, he snagged his clothes and made for the bathroom.

Instinct made him look in Sakura's direction again, but she was still contentedly reading and Sasuke shrugged.

In the bright light of the bathroom, he slithered out of his damp robe and extended his arms over his head one last time. Realization jolted him like a bucket of ice water and Sasuke froze in mid-stretch.

The book that he'd believed held Sakura's interest so intensely was _upside down_.

* * *

"You two think you're so funny, don't you?"

Sasuke woke from an afternoon nap filled with fitful dreams and found Sakura gone. He searched until he heard her voice across the hall. Pressing his ear against Naruto and Sai's door, he listened.

"Spying on your _own teammates_. That's just hilarious. Thought it would be a great team-building exercise, did you?"

Sasuke could hear the outrage in Sakura's tone, but he also heard the hurt. It made him want to splinter the door and take Naruto and Sai by their throats.

"Sakura-chaaan," Naruto whined. "You know we didn't mean any harm." He heard Sai hum in agreement.

"So sending ink mice to listen in on _private conversations_ is what you two do for_ fun_?"

"_Conversation_? Sasuke was sleeping. That wasn't exactly a conver—"

"_Whatever_! The things that were said in that room were not meant for your ears. That's why there are doors, you…_morons!_"

Sasuke put his hand on the doorknob, ready to snap necks, when he froze.

"We're sorry." Naruto's voice was soft and conciliatory. "But we already know how you feel about him." Sakura spluttered. "We don't need to spy to know. It's written all over your face every time you look at him. He's the only one who gets that smile. Sakura-chan, we know you love Sasuke."

Sasuke backed away from the door until he hit the opposite wall.

_Sakura loves me?_ His heart thumped violently. _Sakura loves me!_ With a smile that threatened to crack his face, Sasuke thought of rushing into the room and grabbing her—but he stopped. Sakura hadn't replied yet.

He flattened his ear to the door and hoped.

"I-I…oh, Naruto! What am I going to do?" she wailed. "I thought rooming together might change things between us, but he'll never…love me." Sasuke winced as Sakura burst into tears.

"Sakura-chan, don't. You'll see. We'll show you. Right, Sai?" The rest of Naruto's consolation was muted and Sasuke could only assume he was comforting her with a shoulder to cry on.

Blindly reaching for the knob to his room, he shut the door behind him. Sasuke realized that he needed to make Sakura see how very wrong she was.

* * *

"Hey, sleepyhead."

Sasuke pretended to still be napping when Sakura finally came back to their room. His stomach clenched when he heard her sigh dejectedly and come closer.

"Sasuke?" she said quietly.

When he didn't respond, she brushed his hair away from his face. Her light touches tickled his cheeks. He wiggled his nose and her soft giggle made his lips lift. The giggle became a contented hum as Sakura's fingertips ran along his jaw. Quicker than lightning, Sasuke grabbed her hand and opened his eyes.

"Sasuke!"

He recognized the look of panic that constricted her features. How many times had the same look been on his face when Sakura caught him? He pressed her palm against his face.

"Hey! Put your clothes back on! We're coming in!"

Sakura leaped off the couch as if it was on fire when Naruto's voice boomed from the hallway. The door opened with a bang and his two teammates sauntered in. "Ready for dinner, Sakura-chan?"

When Sasuke sat up, Sakura was curled in a chair, looking as if she'd just peeked at Naruto from a book she'd been reading for hours—with the exception of the pink that still flushed her cheeks.

"N-no," she stuttered and then visibly swallowed to gather herself. "Why don't we all just eat here? Sasuke's still not ready to walk around."

"Sakura-chaaaan!" Naruto whined and then wandered closer to Sasuke. "You're not still faking sick, are you, you bastard?" Squeezing in too close to Sasuke on the couch and slinging an arm around him, Naruto whispered in his ear, "I know you're trying to keep Sakura in here so you can get some, but it ain't going to—_WOAH_!"

Sasuke might be weakened, but he was certainly not going to listen to Naruto talk about Sakura that way. He pushed him to the floor. "Shut up, idiot."

"Why don't I go order dinner? I'll be right back. You guys behave!" With a forced smile, Sakura slipped out the door before anyone could protest.

Glaring at Naruto, Sasuke wondered how he could sink his mood so quickly. He turned to see Sai opening drawers, digging through Sakura's clothes.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he yelled, slamming the drawer closed.

Sai smiled as he tilted his head. "Finding you a souvenir."

Sasuke was dumbfounded. "A _what_?"

"A remembrance of your conquest," he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. He opened his hand to reveal Sakura's tiny, red underwear.

"Give me those!" Sasuke snatched the panties from Sai's hand.

"Okay, dinner's on the—" Sakura burst into the room and froze. "Umm…Sasuke? What's that?"

His eyes locked on the underwear in his hand. For a second, he contemplated a shrug and a small _Amaterasu_, but then his mind blanked. With the instinct of a child in trouble, Sasuke threw his hand behind his back. "What's _what_?"

As his heart beat too quickly, her wide eyes met his and a knowing smile slowly curled her lips. "Oh, Sasuke-kun," she whispered.

Everything else in the room melted away. There were no teammates, no mission. Only _Sakura_.

Sasuke took a step closer to her. Then another. She took a step toward him and his chest thumped. Sasuke thought of grabbing Sakura in his arms, pressing her against him, and the thumping in his chest moved lower…and lower.

The mood was shattered with Sai's snort and Naruto's conspicuously fake cough. "Isn't dinner coming soon? Maybe we should finish our mission report?"

Sasuke balled up the silken panties and covertly shoved them deep into his pocket, trying to tamp down the thrill of her underwear so close to his. Team Seven gathered around the table as Sakura unrolled their nearly-finished mission document with shaking hands.

"N-Naruto," she stuttered, handing him a pen. She cleared her throat and said with more confidence, "I need you to fill in the final days of scouting you did while Sasuke was injured." As he scrunched up his face and conferred with Sai, Sakura sat back, leaning ever so slightly toward Sasuke. He swallowed hard when her knee brushed his.

He knew he had to do something—make a move, let her know he wanted more than just a passing touch. Sasuke pressed his hand on the edge of Sakura's chair. Slowly, _slowly_ it crept toward her until he captured her hand beneath his. Sakura inhaled sharply and Naruto shot her a look across the table. His concerned eyes moved to Sasuke's and a mischievous grin spread across his face. Quietly chuckling, he went back to scratching the pen against the scroll and chatting with Sai.

When Sasuke didn't hear Sakura exhale, he worried. His hand reflexively curled around hers and she finally let out a breathy, "Ohh." His eyes met hers and he smirked lazily.

Surprising him, Sakura leaned closer. _Is she…are we going to…_kiss_?! Right now? In front of these idiots?_ Panic tore through him.

Instead, she pressed her mouth against his ear and whispered, her breath electrifying his whole body, "This could take all night."

Pulling away, she giggled softly and Sasuke thought that never in his entire life had he been so overwhelmed with raw desire. He longed to pin her to the floor and…he took a calming breath. He had to get a hold of himself.

Sasuke couldn't wait for that mission report to be finished. Then he'd have her all to himself.

Sakura was right. As usual. Naruto took all night to finish the report.

Hour after hour of mind-numbing waiting conspired to cool Sasuke's fervor. More than once, he wondered if Naruto did it on purpose.

He'd also made a point to avoid eye contact with Sakura. He knew his tenuous control would evaporate if he saw any more acknowledgement in her eyes. Sasuke folded his arms across his chest and closed his eyes, determined to contain himself.

_I am a shinobi. I endure. I am a shinobi. I…_

When his eyes fluttered open again, he was back in bed.

"Hey, sleepyhead. Time to pack. We're going home today." Sakura was folding clothes and cinching her backpack shut.

Sasuke bolted up. _Wait! Did last night happen? Sakura… _His head jerked in her direction. She was humming while she packed, completely at ease. _She loves me…right? Was it only a fever dream?_ He rubbed his head, confused and despondent. _It _has_ to be real. I can't go back to stealing touches. _Anger gave him courage. _I won't._

"No."

Sakura looked puzzled and flustered when he threw the sheets off, stomped across the room, and grabbed her wrist. Her eyes widened as he stumbled over his tongue.

"Sakura, I…"

_What should I say?_ He needed her to understand, but the words wouldn't come. _The same. Everything's the same._ He slumped in disappointment, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"Sasuke?"

As he turned to pack, to go back to life as it was, his fingers brushed something in his pocket. He pulled it out and held it in front of his narrowed eyes. It was Sakura's tiny, red underwear.

"I think those are mine," she said, reaching out.

Sasuke's hand snapped closed around hers. "I didn't dream it?"

"Dream what?" she asked with a nervous chuckle.

_It wasn't a dream. She looked at me, said those things, loves me! _He drew her closer, gliding his other hand over her shoulder. His touch seemed to melt her hesitance.

"Sasuke-kun," she said breathlessly. He looked from her lips to her eyes and, finally, they both understood—he loved her…and she loved him. He wanted to whoop and shout, but instead, he pressed his lips against her waiting mouth.

They'd barely kissed when Naruto's thunderous voice echoed in the hall. "Coming in! You two better be decent!"

Sakura jerked in his arms and made to pull away, but Sasuke held her tighter. The astonished _oh_ of her mouth curved into a beaming smile as her arms twined around his neck. Sasuke placed a hand in the curve of her lower back, her panties dangling from his fingertips, while the other sank into her hair, firmly pressing her lips to his.

Naruto opened the door and squawked. "Sakura-ch—_guh_!"

Sai, to Sasuke's great surprise, put their teammate in a choke hold, dragging Naruto off with a squinty-eyed smile. "We'll meet you in the lobby."

In the back of his mind, he thought that maybe Sai could be human. Maybe all hope wasn't lost.

Sai's head popped back in the doorway. "If you are engaging in intercourse, you should do it quickly as Konoha is a full day away."

* * *

"Come on. Pick your rock." Naruto shook the bright orange bag in Sasuke's face.

Months passed and Team Seven now found themselves in another inn, in another town, on another mission.

Sasuke looked at Sakura. The months they'd spent back in the Leaf village were the best he'd ever had. They were filled with long, sunny afternoons spent walking with Sakura, her fingers twined with his as they talked about everything and nothing. They were filled with twinkling evenings spent smiling at her as she sat across from him in bustling restaurants, flushing and stuttering when the waiter asked what his _girlfriend_ would like for dinner.

The only hole in his life came at night when he would go home to an empty bed. He ached for Sakura's soft skin pressed against his, her soothing warmth relaxing his mind.

"Let's go. I don't have all day, Sasuke. Get your rock and get your roommate."

Slipping his fingers into Sakura's lightly-closed fist, he tugged gently. He could read the question in her eyes as she glanced up at him. He flicked his head toward the staircase imperceptibly and she lit up.

"Hey! Where the hell are you guys going?"

Sasuke could hear Naruto yelling up the stairs as he pressed Sakura against the door to their room. Heatedly kissing her and fitting the key in the door at the same time tested his coordination…and patience.

"Come back! How are we going to know who to room with if you guys won't pick rocks?"

His voice was getting closer. Sasuke pulled back from Sakura and jammed in the key. The door swung open and he pushed her against the other side. She clasped him tightly, breathlessly commanding, "Lock the door. Hurry!"

Twisting the lock and throwing the bolt, Sasuke smashed his mouth to Sakura's, her hands pulling at his shirt.

The door jumped under Naruto's pounding fist. "Guys! Come on!"

Sasuke stepped back and pulled something out of his pocket. He held his closed hand out to Sakura.

"I know you're in there! We need to pull rocks! _Guuuys!_"

"I already pulled a rock," Sasuke said with a smirk. He opened his hand and watched intently as Sakura's expression changed from confused to astonished before a watery smile blossomed.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun."

He slipped the ring on her finger, thinking Naruto could pull all the rocks he wanted. There was only one roommate he wanted for the rest of his life.

* * *

**a/n:** And that's the end of Roommates! Once again, I have to thank the lovely, talented, and bacon-worthy Unicorn Paige for her stellar editing. Paige, I don't know how to write without you! You're better than NASA...wait. Hee, hee.

Also, thank you to everyone who read, favorited, reviewed, or followed Roommates...or any of my fics for that matter. I really look forward to hearing from all of you...you make me smile! So, I think I have a few one-shots to publish before my next chaptered fic. Why? Because the final chapter of the chaptered fic is being evil. When I smack it into submission (and Paige gives it the Unicorn Seal of Approval), I'll put it up. Until then, I hope you'll enjoy a few one-shots.


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